He also refuted his earlier words that he had drunk alcohol before the incident. He does not plead guilty, saying that "everyone pressured him, including the Tretyakov Gallery staff."

On the evening of May 25 the police received a report about damage inflicted to "Ivan the Terrible and His Son Ivan on November 16, 1581" at the Tretyakov Gallery. The police arrested the attacker who had picked up one of the metal security poles used to keep visitors back from the painting, struck the protective glass covering and damaged the canvas. Based on this fact, a criminal case was launched.

A law enforcement source earlier told TASS that the arrested man, aged 37, explained to the police that he had damaged the painting because he thought it was historically inaccurate.